Air cleaner



Dec. 4, 1928.

F. O. CATRON AIR CLEANER Filed Oct. 10, 1927 [WE/V707? fizauvm a (Err/r0Patented Dec. 4, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,694,116 PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK O. CATRON, 0F MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOB 0F ONE-HALF TONETTIE P. GATRON, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

AIR CLEANER.

Application filed October 10, 1927, Serial Nov 225,177.

This invention relates to improvements in air cleaners and moreespecially to improvements in cleaners which are designed to remove dustand other foreign matter from the air prior to its use in an internalcombustion engine, such for instance, as used in automobiles, trucks, ortractors.

It is well known that a great deal of carburetor and engine trouble iscaused by dust carried by the air into engine parts. To overcome theinjurious results occasioned by foreign particles, such as dust, in thecarburetor and the engine, various devices have been made for extractingthese particles from the air prior to the time it enters the carburetor.Among the objects of the present invention are:

(a) To remove the dust from the air;

(6) To accelerate and improve the washing medium, preferably water,which is used, by heating this medium (c) To provide means for addingmoisture in the form of Vapor to the air prior to its delivery to thecarburetor;

(d) To provide means for removing excessive or unvaporized moisturebefore the air leaves the cleaner;

(e) To make a cleaner which may be readily put together and taken apartfor inspec- 0 tion or cleaning; and

To generally improve the design and construction of such a device.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects are accomplished andthe manner of their accomplishment will readily be understood byreference to the accompanying drawings in which;

Fig. 1, is a sectional elevation taken as on the line II of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 2, is a transverse sectional elevation taken as on the line IIII ofFig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are designatedby numerals, 10, is an outer casing having one end closed, preferably byan integral head 11, and having through such head, an air inlet 12. Theopposite end of this casing is preferably provided with an outwardlyextending flange 13 to which additionalparts may be secured.

14: is a flange secured to the easing, into which flange a street elbow15, or other suitable filling tube, may be secured to provide means forsupplying the water or other washing medium to the casing. The level ofthe upper portion of this filling tube is so placed that it willestablish the desired level 16 for this washing medium within the casing10. 17 is a drain plug which may be removed in order to drain and washout the cleaner casing.

Disposed within the casing 10, is a drum 18, having one end closed,preferably by an integral head 19 and having the other end provided withan outwardly extending flange 20 preferably of the same diameter as theflange 13, but eccentrically located with reference to the drum, so thatwhen the flange 20 is concentrically located with reference to theflange 13, the drum 18 will be eccentrically located with reference tothe casing 10. In assembling the drum into the casing, they, are sobrought together as to leave the smallest amount of space between thetop of the drum and the top of the casing and the largest amount ofspace between the bottoms thereof.

The lower portion of the drum 18 is provided with a series of holes orperforations 21 all of which perforations when the drum is assembledwithin the casing lie entirely below the liquid level. For purposes ofillustration these holes are shown of considerable size andcorrespondingly largely re duced in number, preferably, however, thediameter of the holes is smaller than that shown. It will be especiallynoted that these holes or perforations are formed'by punching the metalof the drum from the inside thereof outward, so that outwardlyextending, perforated projections are formed with openings which arelarger on the interior than on the exterior, rather than merely punchedholes. By so punching or forming the holes, foreign matter is trappedbefore entering the holes and may be easily dislodged and removed whenthe cleaner itself is washed out.

Disposed within the drum 18, is an air flue 22, which flue hasione endclosed, preferably by an integral head 23, and is provided intermediateits length with an eccentric flange 24 of the same oiameter as theflanges 13 and 20. lVhen the air flue 22 is assembled within the drum 18the least amount of space is left between the upper part of the flue andthe upper part of the drum, and the greatest amount of space between thelower parts thereof, and the flue is entirely above the water level. Theflue projects beyond the flange 24:, and may be extended to such aenable it to deliver its air supply to the point of use, such pointordinarily being the well known carburetor of an automobile or othervehicle.

The upper portion of the flue 22 is provided with a plurality of holes25 similarly formed to the holes 21 of the drum l8 and is additionallyprovided with two or three holes 26 at the extreme lower portion of theflue.

27, 28 are gaskets, which are placed respectively between the lowerportion of the drum 18 and the casing 10. A coil 30, the ends 31, ofwhich are extended through the casing 10, and are connected bysuitablepipes 32 to a source of hot water supply such as that whichexists in the engine water-jacket of the ordinary automobile.

To use the device, the cleaner assembly is secured in place with the airtube connected to the engine carburetor, and the pipes 32 connected tothe hot water jacket of the engine; care bein taken in securing thedevice in place to see t iat it is leveled up as shown in the drawings.A cleaning liquid, preferably water, isthen poured into the filling tube15 until the same overflows and the device is ready for use.

In operation, air is sucked into and through the cleaner by the suctionof the engine. This air must enter through the tube 12 and pass downwardthrough the water, thence upward through the holes 21, and thencethrough the holes 25 into the air flue 22 and to the engine. A smallamount of water may be carried up with the air into the flue 22 but suchWater will be released by the sudden diminution of velocity consequenton the excess of area of the flue over the area of the openingsthereinto, and such entrained water will drain off through the loweropenings 26.

After the engine has been started, a hot water circulation will be setup through the coil 30, and eventually the water in the lower portion ofthe cleaner will be heated to such an extent that the air passing,therethrough will pick up a portion of the water in the form of vapor,and such water will be carried in this. form to the carburetor of theengine, with the resulting improvement in economy, which slightlymoistened air gives in such cases.

It will of course be understood that the drawings are illustrative onlyand that various modifications may be made therein without departingfrom the spirit of my invention and that this is especially true so faras the shape of the cleaner is concerned.

Having described my invention, what I within said casing entirelybeneath said water level.

2. In an air cleaner, a closed casing having an air inlet into the upperportion thereof, and means for establishing a maximum water leveltherein; a closed drum having perforations in the lower portion thereof,disposed within said casing with all the perforations below theestablished water level; an air flue having one end closed, disposedwithin said drum entirely above said water level, said flue having itsupper portion perforated and a heating coil-disposed within said casingentirely beneath said water level.

3. In an air cleaner, a closed casing havin an air inlet into the upperportion thereo and means for establishing a maximum water level therein;a closed drum having perforations in the lower portion thereof, disposedwithin said casing with all the perforations below the established waterlevel; and an air flue having one end closed, disposed within said drumentirely above said water level, said flue having its upper portionperforated.

4. In an air cleaner, a casing with one closed end and an outwardlyflanged end, said casing having an air inlet into the upper portionthereof, and means for establishing a maximum water level therein, adrum, with one closed end and an outwardly flanged end, said drum havingperforations in the lower portion thereof, disposed within said casingwith all the perforations below the established water level, an air fluehaving one end closed, and an outwardly extending flange, said fluebeing disposed within said drum entirely above said water level andhaving its upper portion perforated, and means for securing said flangestogether, to close the open ends of said casing and drum, and securesaid air tube therein.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

FREDERICK O. CATRON.

